Divided last.



JAMES I). WINC-IESTER, QF BEVERLY, MSSAGHUSETTS.

DIVIDED LAST.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented May 31, 1910.

application filed July 3, 1909. Serial No. 508,226.

te ticularly to that class of lasts known as divided lasts, the heel parts and foreparts of which are connected together by a pivoted hinge plate or latch.

lt has for its object the production of a Illia last of this class which will have considerable rigidity when in use, this rigidity be-.

ing secured primarily by the Ypeculiar formation of the divisional cut dividing the last into the orepart and heel part which 8@ permits the opposing facesv of these two parts to be in contact throughout their entire length when the last is in use, additional rigidity being also secured bythe peculiar t"c'vit'ormationro'*thehinge plate or latch and its 2@ manner of mounting in the two parts of the last.

Another object of the invention is to dispense with the usual V spaces between the toe and heel part, thus overcoming many objections arising from the use of lasts having this'space on account of the opportunity for tacks and other articles collecting therein'and interfering with the operation of the last.

A. further object of the invention is to provide a means for resisting the initial movement of the two parts of the last relative to each other when the last is being broken.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement ot parts which will be readily understood by reference to the description of the drawings and to the claims hereinafter given.

'Of the drawings: Figure 1 represents a central section through a last embodying the features of this invention, the forepart and heel part thereof being' shown in their nornial position relative to one another. Fig. 2 represents asimilar section showing the heel part moved a limited distance about its pivotal connection with the forepart. Fig. 8 represents a similar section showing the heel partvnioved to its extreme limit about its pivotal connection with the orepart, and

Fig. 4 represents a detail showing the peculiar pin-engaging notch in the hinge plate.

Similar characters designate like parts throughout the several ligures of the drawings.

The general shape and construction of the last itself may be of any usuall lor preferred form, the torins herein shown consisting of a foi-spart l and heel part l1 divided along a straight line extending from the point 12 in the shank of the last in a substantially vertical direction to a point 13 intermediate the bottom ,and top of the last and then in a curved line to 'the point 14 on the instep. By dividing the last on the lines 12, 13, and 14 when the last is in operation the shank end of the liorepart is supported and given considerable rigidity by the curved face 13 14 of the orepart 10, being in contact with the faces 13-14 of the heel part 11. The rear portion of the forepart is provided with a vertical groove 15 while thev heel part is similarlv provided with a vertical groove 18 in the same plane. 'Pivotally mounted in the lgroove 15 on the pivotpin 17 is a hinge plate or latch 18, this hinge plate being provided with two slots 19 and 20 therethrough substantially at right angles to one another and eccentric vto the pivot pin. Through 'the slot 19 extends a pin 21 embedded in the heel part 11 and in a similar manner apin 22 einbeddel in said heel part extends through `the slot 20. ln a suitable socket 23 in the loro artis mounted a spring 24, the free end oi which bears against a projection 25 upon the hinge plate 18 andV normally retains the heel part 11 in its normal position, as shown in Fig. l of the drawing.

in addition to the pivot pin 17, the forepart 10 is provided with another )in 26 which extends through notch 27 termed in the lower edge of the hinge plate 18 and by coming into contact with the inner end of said notch serves as a stop to limit the movement in one direction of said hinge plate 18 about the pivot pin 17. The curvature of the notch 27 is eccentric to the pivot pin 17 so 'that as the hinge plate 18 1s moved about its pivot 17 to break the last initial movement of one part 10 or 11 upon the other will cause a binding of the pin 26 against the eccentric raised portion 29 of the slot 27 to retard the initial movement of these partei() and 11 relative 'to each other until the pin 26 has passed the eccentric portion 29 of said Slot 27, when the hinge plate 18 will be 'free to move about the pin 17 against the tension of the spring 24 in the forepart 10.

It is obvious from an inspection of the drawings that the slot 19 is substantially parallel with the shank of the last and that when the parts 10 and 11 `are in their normal positions any vertical pressure broughtto bear upon the rear portion of the forepart 10 will be transmitted through the hinge plate 18 to the pin 21 and taken up thereby. A portion of this-vertical strain will also be taken up by the inclined wall of the slot 20 in the hinge plate 18 bearing against the pin 22. It is obvious therefore that when the last is inverted and the spindle socket 30 mounted upon the usual jack spindle the rear portion of the forepart is not only s'upported by the forwardly projecting portion of the heel part extending from 13 to 14 but still greater rigidity Aand strength to overcome the downward pressure thereon is afforded by means of the action of the side walls of the slots 19 and 20 upon the pins 21 and 22 rigidly securedto the heel part.

When downward pressure is thus exerted on the shank of the forepart the resultant action of the inclined face of the slot 20 upon the pin 22 would be to morey firmly retain the toe and heel parts 10 and 11 in contact with one another and prevent any separation thereof. It is therefore selfevident that when in use the last is practically a whole last without any spaces cut therein between the parts which form thelast that might be capable of collecting any tacks or other articles which'would be liable to interfere with the operation thereof. At the same time the two parts of the last are locked `rigidly together thus making the last substantially as well adapted to resist any downward pressure thereon as if 4the last was undivided. When it is desired,

-however, to break the last and pressure is applied to one of the parts to accomplish this object the pin 26 will be moved from the end of the slot 27 and wil l\immediately come into contact with the eccentric portion 29 of said slot over which, as the fore and heel parts of the last are moved relative to Veach other about the pivot 17, it will be `obllged to pass, retarding -the initial breaking movement. l'Vhen the pin 26 has passed this obstruction, however, the plate 18 may freely move about the pivot against the tension of the spring 24 while at the same time the pins 21 and 22 will be moving along the slots 19 and 20 through which they extend. These slots 19 and 2O are so positioned in the plate 18 relative to the pivot 17 and to the divisional cut 12, 13, and 14 between the forepartl and heel parts 10 and 11 that as the plate 1.8 moves about the pivot 17 and vthe pins 21 and 22 move along the slots 19 and 20 the corner 13 on the rear vface of the forepart 10 will travel along the front face 12 and 13 of the heel part 11 while the corner 14 of the forepartr. will travel along the curved face 13 and 14 of the heel part, these corners being-constantly retained 1n contact with these faces, as indicated in Fig. 2, by means of the travelof the pins I 21 and 2,2 in the slots 19 and 20. .By dividing the last on the lines 12,l 13, and 14, and so constructing the hinge plate interposed between the forepart 1Q and heel part 11 that the corners 13 and 14 travel along and in Contact with the front faces of the heel part, no opportunity is igiven for any of the linings or other parts of the shoe to be caught between two opposing faces, to the injury of the shoe being operated upon or to interfere with the operation of the last.

A last constructed asherein described affords great strength to resist any pressures to which it is liable to be subjected while at the saine time it is simplerin construction and easy to operate. l

It is believed that the operation and many advantages of the invention will be fully understood from the foregoing.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: Y

v1. A last, divided on an irregular line from top vto bottom thereof and thereby forming two sections, the opposing faces of which are normally in contact; a movable latch pivotally secured in one of said sections and projecting into the other section, said latch being provided with two slots therethrough substantially at right angles and the upper one normally nearly horizontal; and two pins in said other sectionextending through said slots in said latch, one of said pins being normally onl the same horizontal line with said pivot pin while the other is above said line and intermediate the other pin and said pivot pin. Y

2. Alast, comprising two sections, the opposing faces of which are normally in contact; a movable latch pivotally secured in one of said sections and projecting into the 'other section, said latch being provided with tact; a movable latch pivotally secured to one 'section and provided with a curved notch Iextending from one edge and slightly eccentric to said plvot and a slot therethrough extending transversely to said notch; a pin in the pivot section adapted to enter said notch; a pin in theother section extending through said transverse slot; and a sprin acting upon said latch to normally retai said pin at the inner end of said notch.

4. A last, comprising two sections, the opposing faces of which are normally in contact; a movable latch pivotally secured to one section and provided With acurved notch extending from one edge and slightly eccentric to said pivot and a slot therethrough extending transversely to said notch; a pin in the forepart adapted to enter said notch and a pin in the other section extending through said transverse slot.

5. A last, comprising a forepart and a heel part, the opposing. faces of which are normally in Contact; a movable latch secured tothe heel part and pivotally secured in the forepartand provided With a curved notch extending from one edge, the enga-ging Wall of which, at its outer end, is farther from the latch pivot than at its inner end; and a pin in the forepart adapted lto enter said notch and engage said wali.

6. A last, comprising a forepart and a heel part, the opposing,T faces of which are normally in contact; a movable latch secured,

to the heel' part and pivotally secured in the orepart and provided with a curved notch extending' from one edge, of which, at its outer end, is farther from the latch pivot than at its inner end; a pin in the forepart adapted to enter said notch;

and a spring acting upon said latch to norfl mally return the parts to a position in whichv the engaging Wall p 

